Monday, December 17, 2012

Dogfish Head Ta Henket





It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of Dogfish Head beer.  I haven’t met one their brews I haven’t liked. 

So, when I saw Ta Henket in the cooler of my beer store of course I grabbed it.  I was actually drawn to the intriguing label and then when I saw what it was I grabbed it.


This beer is one of Dogfish Head’s ancient ales and I must say I was not only impressed but very much smitten with this interestingly yummy beer.

According to Dogfish Head the ingredients and traditions for this recipe were pulled from Egyptian hieroglyphics.  In fact, the native Egyptian yeast was acquired by trapping the strains in petri dishes set out in Cairo.  That’s a lot of effort and I, for one, appreciate it!

Ta Henket pours a rich gold with a thick root-beerish head.  When I took a whiff, my first impression was a distinctly chili like aroma.  I’m guessing this is the za’atar . . . a middle-eastern spice. 

The taste is like no other beer I’ve ever experienced . . . and it is an experience.  It is savory . . . almost meaty . . . tasting.  Again chili pops into my mind.   You may be thinking . . . ew.  But this beer is most assuredly not ew!  It’s is amazing. 

What surprises me “knowing now what I didn’t know then” about the ingredients is that I didn’t detect any sweetness or fruitiness; I would expect to get that from the doum fruit (a sort of, kind of date-like fruit), chamomile and the emmer Farro’ (wheat).  But I didn’t taste anything like that.

This beer was flavorful and smooth with nary a trace of bitterness.  Simply put, Ta Henket is a very out of the ordinary and remarkable beer. 

If you’re looking for something different . . . this is it!

Exceptional! 


Visit Dogfish Head at their website  or on Facebook 



4 comments:

Dogfish Head Beer said...

Glad you enjoyed the beer ... I personally didn't get much sweetness either. To me it was more earthy, bready. Thanks for giving it a try & sharing your thoughts on it - cheers!

CraftBrewGuy said...

This is why beer varies for so many, as everyone has their own preferences and palates. In my opinion, Ta Henket is the worst beer DFH has ever put out and I actually dumped out 2 bottles unable to finish them with several friends at a tasting after we all reached the same conclusion. I respect DFH for being risk takers and innovators, and they are hands down my favorite overall brewery. That being said, this beer was an ancient recipe that simply does not translate to the modern palate.

Bräuista said...

Doesn't translate to YOUR palate. I liked it. Interesting.

CraftBrewGuy said...

Exactly Cheryl, thats the fun of beer. If you dont like, try the next one. If you love it, keep drinking !